Beckett!
by wolfergirl
Summary: One-shots about Kate's little-seen childhood. Chapter 13: Monsters. "Daddy. Daddy." The tugging at his hand quickly woke him up, and he rolled over, rubbing his eyes groggily to see two brown eyes staring at him from just over the mattress. "Katie? What's the matter, sweetheart?" "Daddy," she whispered. "You missed a monster."
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own anything you recognise**

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"She's beautiful," Jim Beckett breathed, caressing the side of her face with one finger. "And she's ours." A tired Johanna Beckett gazed happily down at the tiny bundle in her arms.

"She's ours," she echoed. "For ever and ever."

"When can we go home?" the new father turned to the doctor, who watched on in amusement.

"Mr Beckett, feel free to go when you'd like. I would like Mrs Beckett to stay for the night, however. Just to keep an eye on the baby. Have you thought of a name yet?"

The two young parents turned to each other. "I think we decided on Katherine?" Jim ventured, searching his wife's eyes.

"Katherine Houghton," Johanna agreed.

"Katie for short."

"And Kate to everyone else."

"Katherine Houghton Beckett. Has a nice ring to it," the doctor complimented with a smile. All three adults laughed as the tiny Katie Beckett let out a gurgle and squeezed her mother's finger, before closing her eyes in contentment and going back to sleep.

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**So this might not work at all. Basically, I had this idea after finishing my maths (yes, I'm British) exam before Christmas. Hopefully, it'll be a collection of one-shots of varying length based on Kate's name, like the first time she was known as Beckett, and the first time someone called her Katie without permission, etc. but only if you guys like it :D**

**So let me know: continue, or abandon?**

**wolfergirl :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow. Are you sure you reviewed the right story? The response to chapter one was overwhelming (ask my poor computer: the first reviews resulted in an excited squeak which caused the monitor to fall backwards -.-) and I am so glad you liked it!**

**I don't own anything you recognise**

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"Come on then, Katie, come and see Mommy's friends," Johanna crooned softly, cradling her tiny daughter against her chest.

"And Daddy's friends," Jim muttered under his breath, to which his wife shot him an exasperated look. Before she could reply, however, they were swarmed with well-wishers from both sides of the office, and the surrounding area was soon filled with the high-pitched squeals and nonsense words sent towards the arrival. In a rare show of shyness, baby Katie turned to hide her face against her mother's chest, refusing to grasp any of the fingers offered her way. Realising that unless they moved soon, they would have a screaming baby on their hands, Jim darted in front of his girls and began shooing people away. Once the crowd had subsided he guided them over to the armchairs tucked away in the corner and watched several of the couple's closest friends wander over.

"So this is Baby Beckett!" one woman oozed, running a hand through Katie's thin layer of hair. "Aren't you a bundle of cuteness?"

"She looks just like you, Johanna," another gushed, pushing her face close enough to the small being's to rub noses. As her daughter's nose scrunched up and her eyes opened wide, Jim braced himself for the inevitable shriek. Sure enough –

"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaah!" Heads snapped up to watch the couple attempt to quiet the screaming baby and make their way briskly to the exit. As the small family left, the two women who had been fussing over the baby walked back to their workstations.

"With that pair of lungs, that's _definitely_ Baby Beckett!"

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**Rightio. I'm not very happy with this one, but I thought I should do another baby Beckett one before moving on to show the Beckett personality we know and love. I have to say, my mental thesaurus was definitely strained after writing this...**

**Any requests/suggestions/I-will-shoot-you-if-you-don't-include-this-idea threats would be gratefully received – I have about 30 chapters mapped out, but after all, you will only read what you want to read, so...**

**Reviews make me do the happy dance *hint hint***

**Until next time,**

**wolfergirl :D**

**Next chapter at this point in time: Baby Beckett's first Christmas (whoops, I lied. Maybe there'll be some more baby chapters)**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN (19 May 2013): I have received several reviews telling me that babies this young can't talk, and that research makes a story a hundred time better. I completely agree. However, please humour me and accept that for the sake of this fic, and the fact that Kate's birthday is in November, she can talk. Thank you.**

**I don't own anything you recognise.**

"Jim! It's time to decorate the tree!" Johanna called, settling Katie on her – Christmas themed, obviously – play mat, eyeing the bare evergreen with distaste. There was an 'oomph' from upstairs, followed by a crash and several loud expletives. "James! Language! There's a baby in the house!" the protective mother chastised, staring in horror at her young child who grasped her feet in her hands and gurgled happily.

"Ma!" Baby Beckett had recently begun her first monosyllabic words to the delight of both parents and was clearly a talker, knowing exactly when her interjections were likely to dissolve the household into laughter. Unfortunately, she had also shown an aptitude for picking up the _wrong_ language... "Fu'!"

"No! Bad word, Katie. Don't say that!" Johanna groaned, turning to glare at her husband coming down the stairs, boxes stacked in his arms. "Why are you such a – a-"

"Wonderful man for putting up with your constant orders?" he muttered darkly.

"-an inconsiderate father?"

"Me?" The look of astonishment on Jim's face almost made her giggle. "Why am I inconsiderate?"

"Our six week year old daughter has _just learnt a swear word_! Six weeks! That's not supposed to happen for at least another _six years_!"

"It's not my fault she inherited your talent to talk! If I drop a glittery bell on my foot, I'm hardly going to break out in song, am I?"

"You could mind your mouth!"

"You try keeping your mouth shut when the Angel Gabriel is hanging off your ear!" With that, he handed her the box and collapsed on the couch. "Off we go then."

Several hours, a pillow fight, and an almost squashed Katie later, the tree was covered in lights, tinsel and singing snowmen. Gabriel had made his journey from the tip of Jim's ear to the tip of the tree, gazing affectionately down at the sleeping baby who was curled between her parents as they lay on the floor looking up at the tree. Humming 'O Tannenbaum' under his breath Jim cast a glance over his daughter's head to smile at his wife.

"I love you," he mouthed to her. She beamed tiredly at him, reaching out an arm and caressing his cheek. "And I love Katie. And I love having time to spend with you. This is going to be the best Christmas ever." Johanna nodded in agreement and let out a yawn, her nose scrunching up just like Baby Beckett's did. Her fist bumped his nose as she stretched and turned over to envelope their daughter in her arms. Katie returned the sentiment by wriggling further towards her centre, laying her head near her mother's heart and giving a tiny sigh of contentment. Love threatened to overwhelm him as he took in the sight. Committed it to memory, never to forget the innocence before him. His girls. Forever.

**Right. This may be my worst chapter ever, but I figured I owed you guys something for not updating for ages. Exams are taking over (AGAIN!), which is particularly annoying since we had our mocks before Christmas, then came back and were told we basically have exams from now until July. Solidly. Gr.**

**Once again, I am British, so apologies for any mistakes on that account. I hope you enjoyed this one, reviews would be gratefully received even though the chapter doesn't deserve it...**

**~wolfergirl**

**Next chapter at this point in time: Katie's first birthday**


	4. Chapter 4

**Um. Hi?**

**Sorry to leave it so long, I couldn't find enough to write about. Still not quite happy enough with this, but thought all you amazing readers deserved something... Thank you to all those wonderful people who reviewed last chapter. You're amazing!**

**Guest left a note about the last chapter, and pointed out that six week year old babies can't talk. Can I claim artistic license on that one? It's not my fault she has a November birthday. Also not sure if one year olds can talk this well, but hey.**

**For Eleanor and Lauren, whose persistent Supernatural commentaries convinced me to write again.**

**I don't own anything you recognise :)**

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The doorbell rang. "I'll get it!" Johanna huffed a moment later when there was no response from Jim. Drying her hands hastily she made her way carefully from the kitchen to the front door, squeezing past the little tables set up, narrowly avoiding putting her elbow in the birthday cake, and almost tripping over Katie's fairy wings. She was greeted by a pirate, a clown, and a very disinterested sheep, with their flustered, but beaming mothers. Ushering them in, Johanna realised she had no idea where her own daughter was. "Jim?" she called up the stairs, attempting discretion. "Have you got Katie?" An answering yell came from the upstairs landing, signalling all was well.

A few minutes later, the arrival of the birthday girl was heralded by a large thump as father and child landed haphazardly at the bottom of the staircase. Silent stares watched their recovery, anxious mother rushing towards them.

"What happened?" Johanna cried, cradling Katie - nonplussed by the faster than average descent - in her oven gloves.

"F'ying," the one year old told her mother solemnly. "Dada 'n' me f'ying, Momma." Jim Beckett met his wife's gaze sheepishly.

"She wanted to travel like fairies do," he explained. "So we were running-"

"Zooming, Dada," Katie corrected.

"We were zooming round the landing and I didn't see the stairs, so we kinda slipped down them." Before she could berate him, it was clear Katie had spotted her guests, and wriggled from Johanna's grasp to crawl off at high speed and greet them. Within seconds they were brandishing plastic toys at each other and attempting to drag the adults into an enthusiastic game of hide and seek.

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He couldn't take his eyes off her. His beautiful girl, his one year old little girl. She was better than he'd ever imagined, with her mother's stubbornness, his temper, and a mix of their eyes.  
She was perfect.  
Even when everyone had left, and she fell asleep in her bowl of cake and ice cream.  
Even when she decided she didn't like sausages and threw them up over his favourite shirt.  
She was perfect, because she was his.

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**Short. I'm sorry. I also try to keep them centred on Jim and Katie because I think too much of that is missed on the show. The next one is relatively short too. It should be up in the next couple of days, so keep your eyes peeled! (If you want to, that is.)**

**Hope you enjoyed it, please leave a review on your way out :)**

**~wolfergirl**

**Next chapter at this point in time: Katie's first day at kindergarten...**


	5. Chapter 5

**As promised! Thank you to all readers and reviewers, as always. As a Briton, American kindergarten is a bit unknown, so bear with!**

**For Dory, from the bottom of my rucksack. Thanks for rubbing Tenerife in our faces.**

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"Mommy! Mommy! Wake up! Mommy! Daddy! Wake up! It's kindergarten day! You've got to get up!"

Jim Beckett rolled over and cracked an eye open to see his five year old daughter bouncing on their bed, inches away from her mother. "Katie," he muttered, grabbing his watch. "You need to go back to bed. It's four in the morning! We have three hours before we need to get up."

"No, silly. We have to get up now, or we'll be late." The princess-pyjama-clad girl bounced off the bed and sat on the floor with a thump, glaring at her parents.

"Jo?" Jim turned to his wife for help. She was the discipline in the family: Katie had always had him wrapped around her little finger.

"I'm asleep," Johanna mumbled sleepily, pulling the covers further up.

"Helpful." With a sigh, Jim swung his legs out of bed and sat up. "Katie." He fixed his child with a stern look. "You've got to go back to sleep. If you don't, you'll be tired tomorrow, and you'll be Grumpy Katie. And we know what happens when Grumpy Katie is here?"

"Mommy gets sad," she growled.

"And?"

"And Grumpy Katie gets no ice cream and has to sit on the naughty step until she's ready to be Nice Katie," she recited with a pout.

"Do you want ice cream tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"Then you have to go to bed."

"Fine." With a huff, the five year old stomped away to her room. Jim watched her retreating back fondly, lying down again and feeling quite pleased with himself.

"Jim?" his wife murmured from beside him.

"Mmhmm?"

"Did you just promise our already hyper daughter ice cream tomorrow?" There was a pause.

"Oh."

* * *

"Daddy, now is it time to wake up?" Three hours later, Katie made a slower and more sedate entrance to her parents' room, rubbing her eyes and yawning.

"It is now time to wake up," Jim agreed, yawning back at her. "Shoo. Go and get ready, and I'll make your breakfast." As she shuffled out, he stretched and pressed a kiss to the top of his wife's head. "If it's like this everyday, we're going to be dead by the time she graduates."

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"Mommy, look! It's the kindergarten room!" The five year old tugged on Johanna's hand, pulling her towards the flow of other enthusiastic children.

"Hello." Gazing up with wide eyes, Katie got her first glimpse of her teacher. "What's your name?"

"Katherine Beckett," she announced, puffing her chest out proudly. Johanna hid her smile, shaking the teacher's hand with an apologetic expression. The teacher smiled back, well used to it.

"Nice to meet you, Katherine," she gently guided the awe-filled child through the door. Before she disappeared, Katie turned and beamed happily at her mother.

"Bye, Mommy!"

"Bye, Katie!" she waved back.

As she left, she could hear her daughter sternly telling her new teacher - who had made the grave mistake of calling her Katie - that:  
"Only Mommy and Daddy can call me Katie! You can call me Kate if Katherine is too long."

Yep. That was her Katie.

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**Longer than the previous chapters, I think. There are two more chapters ready to post, so you'll get those tomorrow and Wednesday, because I decided that if I was not going to write for the next few months (exams, I promise!) then you might want more than just 1000 words over the last two chapters...**

**Please leave a review on your way out, they make me do the happy dance :D *does happy dance and trips over the cat***

**~wolfergirl**

**Next chapter at this point in time: "Boys are yucky, Mom!"**


	6. Chapter 6

**So this one just appeared, really. I quite like it - the idea was inspired by an NCIS episode. I can't remember which one, or what the conversation was exactly, but I remember Ziva having a similar reaction, at least telling Tony she did. **

**I don't own anything you recognise :) **

**Enjoy!**

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"Mrs Beckett. A word, please?" Johanna followed the teacher into the classroom with trepidation. Sitting on a chair, facing the corner was Katie, hunched in what her mother could clearly define as the it-wasn't-my-fault position.

"Mrs Smith - what's Katie done now?" She cut to the chase. It couldn't possibly be that serious, Katie wasn't_ that_ badly behaved.

"Why don't we ask her. Kate?" The girl made her way sullenly to the two women. "Why am I having a talk with your mom?"

"Because I hit Matt. But Mom, he - "

"You hit someone?"

"Yeah, but - "

"Katie, what have we told you about hitting?"

"Not to do it, but - "

"So why did you do it?"

"Because I was angry, but - "

"You know there are other ways to deal with anger, Katie."

"I know, Mom, but - "

"So why did you hit him?"

"Because he kissed me!"

"He kissed you?" Johanna wasn't sure whether to be angry or amused. Her daughter had rarely looked so indignant.

"On the cheek! He said he _liked_ me, Mom."

"That's not an excuse to hit someone, honey. You should be flattered."

"But Mom, boys are yucky!" At this, her mother had to smile. Oh, she'd be singing a different tune in a few years!

"That may be, but we have to share the world with them anyway. You can't go hitting people just because they say they like you. Did you apologise to Matt?" Katie nodded, scowling.

"Mrs Smith made me."

"Good. Well. Are you coming home, then?"

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When he got home that night, Jim was quick to notice the thunderous expression on his daughter's face as she sat on the 'naughty step'.

"What's she done?" he asked, pecking Johanna on the cheek. She chuckled.

"Oh, you'll be happy. She's decided that 'boys are yucky', and she never wants to marry. I told her that one day she'd be complaining that no boys liked her, but she didn't believe me."

"But why's she on the stairs?" He smiled at his wife's twinkling eyes.

"Matthew kissed her cheek today."

"Oh." Jim winced. Shows of affection by anyone other than family were not usually received well by little Katie Beckett.

"Yep. She hit him, and her teacher had a chat with us. She was in a bad mood when we got back - "

"Was not!" floated through from the direction of the staircase.

"Were too!" Johanna hollered back, rolling her eyes at Jim. "And refused to do her homework, tidy up, help with dinner, or do anything, really. So she's got no chocolate for a week, no TV for three days, and she has to stay on the stair until bedtime."

"A little harsh, don't you think, Jo?" She fixed him with a hard stare.

"I know you'd like her to stay away from boys until she's sixty, but we've got to make her learn that she can't just lash out!"

"But still - "

"I can deal out sanctions to you too, Jim."

"I think it's a great punishment, dear."

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**Hope you liked it. Next one on the way soon, might be the last for a while as my GCSEs are coming up and unfortunately writing may have to take a back seat - more so than it already has!**

**Thanks for all the reviews so far: we passed 20! :D Please leave one on your way out, they really make my day**

**~wolfergirl**

**Next chapter at this point in time: why you should never call Katherine Beckett 'Katie'...**


	7. Chapter 7

**This one is very, very short. But hey.  
Kate is a bit older, and I wanted to show her with the beginnings of her 'tough' exterior - mildly OOC, but we don't know much about her childhood so I reckon I'm allowed to exaggerate a bit :D**

**Thanks for all the reviews, and the follows and favourites. Keep 'em coming!**

**I don't own anything you recognise :)**

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"What did you just call me?" nine-year-old Kate Beckett growled at the boy, hand fisted in the front of his t-shirt. He shook, all traces of arrogance gone.

"N-nothing?" he whimpered.

"Good." She released him with a shove, sending him tumbling back onto the tarmac. "Because I thought I heard you call me a name that no-one is allowed to call me. Ever. I  
must have misheard. Yeah?"

"Yeah," he agreed quickly. "You definitely misheard."

"Good. Now shoo." She dismissed him with a snarl, and turned back to her game, watched by her small group of friends who couldn't quite believe what they just saw. That couldn't have been Kate, surely?

"Kate," a small girl asked, cautiously. "It wasn't that bad, was it? He only called you - "

"I know what he called me, thanks," she cut her off curtly. "Only my parents are allowed to call me Katie, you know that, Alicia. He had to know that too."

"But did it have to be so violent? And, you'll get in trouble - "

"He'd do it again if it wasn't. And yeah. But so what? It's not like I hurt him - "

"KATHERINE BECKETT! GET INSIDE RIGHT NOW!" Kate sighed heavily, starting slowly in the direction of the yell.

"I'll see you later, girls."

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**So, that'll be the last for a while - exams are in a few weeks, and I actually have to think about doing some work now. Thanks for all the good luck messages!**

**Please review if you can :)**

**~wolfergirl**

**Next chapter at this point in time: we all have that sports teacher who loves shouting your surname in front of everyone...**


	8. Chapter 8

**Next instalment, my dear readers, reviewers and followers. Short, I'm afraid.**

**This is based on my own experiences. I love sport of any kind, even though I may not be particular good at that particular area. My own two sports are rugby and rowing, and unfortunately we do neither at my school. I am atrocious at tennis, and this happened more than once last summer.**

**Enjoy!**

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Kate Beckett wasn't what you'd call a sporty person. She didn't _not_ like sport, but the kind she preferred was that done by choice, without the mocking, haughty expressions of the Ultra Sporty Girls watching her attempts to fit in.

Running. There was nothing like a long run on a cold, fresh morning to get you started. Over the last few years of her obsession with the early rises and pounding feet down the sidewalk, it had cured her of most of her imbalance. She was known in the Beckett household for her clumsiness. If there was a crash, you could be sure that you would find her at the source, nursing more than a few bruises.

A lot of sports demanded some semblance of balance. Unfortunately. Take tennis, for example. Kate enjoyed tennis – it was a good source of anger management. However, each swing at the ball had her performing wobbly pirouettes as she fought to stay upright. Quite often, heads would turn – some in derision, others in amusement – at the bellow that followed her across the courts.

"Beckett! Both feet on the ground!"

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**A few of the reviews that were left last chapter implied that a follow on from Kate getting in trouble may be wanted. Is it?**

**Similarly, if there are any particular scenarios that you'd like to see about Kate's younger years, speak up now! I think I have one more chapter planned before she graduates high school (that does happen, right? I'm not just making stuff about America up?). Young Kate is so much fun to write, so...y'know...**

**Reviews make my day, as always. Please leave a parting gift if you have a moment (we reached thirty, guys! Thirty!).**

**Ooh, and I made a Tumblr on Saturday after much pestering from my wonderful friends. I haven't quite worked out how to use it yet, but if you would like to follow me, my URL is:**

**caffeinatedsmartie + the usual ending**

**Bisous (and yes, I am aware that my ANs outweigh the actual chapter...)**

**~wolfergirl**

**Next chapter at this point in time: school dance time, folks!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Set in **_**After the Storm**_**, 5x1. Because how exactly did Kate Beckett learn to slide across the floor in her socks in such a controlled manner?**

**I don't own anything you recognise :)**

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"Katie! Andy's here!" Jim Beckett called, waving the boy inside. "You wanna come down, or should I send him up?"

"I'm coming!" Nine-year-old Andy grinned at Jim as the familiar thump of Katie's feet flew down the stairs as quickly as they could. Stepping into the corridor just as a heavier bang announced her arrival on the ground floor via jump, Jim lifted an eyebrow as his daughter slid towards them on her socks, squeaking to a halt next to her best friend.

"What's the rule about sliding on your socks?" he chided.

"Don't because I'll hurt myself. Hi Andy!" Katie beamed at him and tugged him towards the living room. "Come on, I've got something to show you. Granddad gave me this awesome magic kit the other day and I need an assistant. We can take turns, and then Dad said he'd let us watch a movie, and…" Jim watched as her voice disappeared into the other room, and bent down to pick up the assortment of mismatched shoes his daughter had knocked over on her socked entry. Just as well, really, as an hour later he found the pair of them having sock races along the corridor…

* * *

"Katie?"

"Yeah?" Johanna sighed as the typical response floated down from upstairs.

"D'you think you could come down please? You know I don't like talking to you when we're in opposite ends of the house." There was a thud, followed by a sigh as footsteps descended the stairs. 15-year-old Kate Beckett sidled into the kitchen, leaning against the wall and crossing her arms.

"Yeah?" Her gaze followed her mother as she continued preparing their dinner.

"Why is your dad's favourite mug in the trash, wrapped up in newspaper and shoved to the bottom?" Johanna swivelled to pierce her daughter with familiar brown eyes.

"Why should I know?" The teenager's tone was defensive as she automatically rubbed her nose.

"Given that he left it on the coffee table by the couch which is now on its side, and you've been the only one in here since he went to work this morning, I'd say you know something about it."

"Why do you always assume it was me?" Kate's temper started to show. So what, she'd knocked it over – it was hardly the end of the world!

"There's also a splatter mark on the far wall," her mother continued, ignoring the accusation. "And I know that you had another shouting match with your father last night about him leaving things in the way of the telephone." Kate blushed.

"It's infuriating! You know it only rings a few times before it cuts the caller off, and when it's important, and I'm waiting for a call-" She took a step forward, fists clenched as she ranted her frustration. "If I'm in my room, I have about ten seconds to run downstairs and grab it! Why can't he move it somewhere else where it's not in my way? It's not my fault if he leaves his precious mugs on the coffee table when it rings-" Johanna lifted an eyebrow, smirking.

"So you know what happened, then."

"Of course I know what happened!" Kate glared at her mother, knowing she'd been caught out. "Jamie said he'd call this afternoon, and-"

"Jamie?" the Beckett matriarch's smug interjection did little to slow the teenager's rant.

"- I was waiting for it, and the minute I go upstairs to change the phone decides to ring, so I ran down to try and get it, but the stupid table was in the way, and the mug went flying and after all that, _I missed the stupid call!_" she finished, collapsing back against the door frame.

"You must have been going very quickly," Johanna prompted. "It's quite hard to run on the vinyl without slipping over. I don't suppose you decided to try your extreme-sock-sliding again?" Kate remained silent. "Katie, come on. You know we've asked you before-"

"I don't see why this is relevant, Mom!"

"Because one day, you'll hurt yourself, and you'll wonder why you didn't stop when we told you to!"

"Well, I won't! Because I've been doing this for years, and I can control it, so I won't hurt myself! This has nothing to do with the mug!"

"Today you broke a mug, tomorrow it'll be your back!" Without replying, Kate spun around and vanished from the room, kicking the trash can on her way out as she stormed back to her haven.

* * *

"Mrs Beckett?" Johanna sighed, putting her pen down and leaning back in her chair.

"Speaking."

"It's Doctor Barlow, from the ER. We've got your daughter-"

"Oh my God." Her breath caught as she sat up, reaching for her bag and leafing through it for her cell. "Is Katie alright?"

"We suspect a sprain, but there's no urgent, serious treatment needed. We just need you to sign some forms. She should be out in a few hours, depending on when you get here."

"Of course – I'll be there in 10 minutes," she said, checking her watch. She leapt up and bounded towards the coat stand, plucking her coat from it and wriggling one arm into the sleeve, car keys between her teeth as she sprinted out of the office and down the stairs, barely stopping to nod at another associate following her with a confused expression. Within seconds she was pounding away at the accelerator, teeth gritted, face set as she bypassed impatient traffic.

Soon she was spinning into the hospital car park and darting through the automatic doors, to come face to face with an amused receptionist. "I – I'm looking for Katie – Kate Beckett," she panted, fingers drumming impatiently on the counter.

"Are you family?"

"Yes – yes, I'm her mother," the lawyer bit back an impatient bark, knowing that the man had probably seen many a worried mother in his time.

"If you take a seat, someone will be through to take you to her." With a tight nod of thanks, Johanna collapsed on the cold plastic seat, closing her eyes for a brief moment, allowing her panic to subside slightly.

"Family of Kate Beckett?" At the doctor's query, she stood up sharply and was beside her in seconds. She was led through to the Minor Injuries section where the doctor pulled back the blue curtain to reveal her daughter, bruised, bandaged and obviously shaken.

"Katherine Houghton Beckett, don't you ever, _ever_, do that to me again," she mumbled as she wrapped her arms around the child on the bed. She could feel her squirming in embarrassment, but there was no way she was going to let her go without checking the damage first. "What happened?"

Dr Barlow cleared her throat. "Her ankle needs to be x-rayed. It's swollen, so may only be sprained, but there is every possibility that the fall caused a break."

"The fall?" Johanna looked up at the doctor.

"A bus was called to your apartment because Kate had fallen. The EMTs found her on the kitchen floor. We're still not sure what caused it, particularly as there was nothing to trip over but her own feet, and I find it hard to believe it was that." Johanna searched Kate's face to see if her suspicion was correct, but she wouldn't make eye contact, instead picking at the torn skin on her hands.

"Oh, I think I have some idea as to how she landed on the floor," her mother smirked. Noticing the look in the other woman's eye, Dr Barlow retreated to find the necessary forms, leaving the two Beckett women alone.

"Say it, Mom," Kate sighed.

"Oh Katie-Bear. I told you so."

* * *

**Ok. So I know I said that the next chapter would be the dance, but turns out my muse had other ideas. She decided to return during a revision session, and then abandoned me once I'd started writing this chapter as a result of re-watching 5x01.**

**Weird chapter, I know. Not my favourite by far. However, sock-sliding is a favourite hobby of mine, and the hospital situation is quite a familiar one. (Downside of having unreliable joints is that if you attempt to have a sword fight with empty lemonade bottles on a slippery floor, you tend to dislocate something...)**

**Please bear in mind that I have absolutely no knowledge whatsoever of the American health system.**

**Anyway. I'm gonna run now, because Vicky may be reading this, and I said I'd do some revision for my GCSEs tomorrow, and I've done a bit, but not nearly enough to spend tomorrow writing with her...(if you're a bit of a Robin Hood fan, you could always check out our co-written fic _Queen of Thieves_ - it's under the name A . Pseudonimo).**

**~wolfergirl**

**Next chapter (and it actually is): school dance for Becks...**


	10. Chapter 10

**Right. This one is based on the announcement at my own (British) school, so apologies for any inaccuracies. **

**Kate is quite shy and withdrawn in this chapter - might be OOC except for the fact that we only know she had a wild child phase during high school, the exact age not being specified. I was pondering doing a few chapters of said wild child phase, so if that tickles your fancy, holler!**

**For Harry, my own Castle **

**I don't own anything you recognise :)**

* * *

"This year, the school dance will be held on June 22nd," the principal announced, holding his hands up to quieten the cheers. "Tickets will be on sale soon. Watch this space!" Chatter filled the hall as the students filed out.

"Kate. Kate!" Madison Queller waved her hand in front of her friend's face. Kate Beckett looked up with a start, eyes wild and searching for the threat.

"What? Where?" she mumbled, confused. Standing up, she stretched, closing her book and shoving it in her bag. "Maddie? What did I miss this time?"

Maddie sighed. "Just the school dance announcement. Nothing important – for you, anyway."

Kate cast a look at her friend. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Maddie shrugged. "Well, everyone knows you don't want to go. It's not like you need to know the details." Kate didn't reply, simply walking off to her next lesson, leaving the other girl to follow.

* * *

Just as she began walking to the canteen for lunch, Kate felt someone tap her shoulder. She turned around and gulped. Less than a foot away from her was the most sought after person of the entire male species in the senior school: with his chiselled features, twinkling eyes and deep voice, he was the subject of many conversations each day. There had been rumours recently that he was going to ask someone to the dance – part of the attraction was that he had never dated since arriving at the high school, despite the number of times he had been asked out by giggling gaggles of girls.

Kate closed her mouth, aware that she had been openly gawking at him. He appeared amused. Leaning against the wall as people flooded between them, she could only notice the toned arms that peeked out from his shirt.

"Yes?" she called across to him. "Can I help you?" His eyes sparkled back at her.

"I don't know – can you?" he smirked. Kate felt her cheeks flush as she turned away.

"Look, if you don't have anything to say, I've got somewhere to be." As she slipped past, he reached out a hand to stop her.

"Wait – will you go to the dance with me, Beckett?" She stopped again, sure she had misheard.

"What?"

"Will you do me the honour of accompanying me to this year's dance?" The cool and sophisticated demeanour had vanished, leaving in its place a nervous boy chewing his lip and refusing to meet her gaze. "It's just – I see you in classes a lot and you're smart, smarter than anyone knows. You're beautiful, but you don't flaunt it. I've seen you defend your friends even when you're scared. I'd like to spend more time with you, if you'll let me." Kate shook her head. His face fell disappointedly. "You don't want to?"

"I – can I think on it?" A few hours ago she wasn't even considering going! He gave a relieved smile.

"Yeah. Yeah, sure. Take as much time as you want."

"Ok."

"Right."

"I'll let you know, then." And she walked off without a backwards glance.

* * *

"Beckett! Where have you been?" Maddie scolded. Grinning, Kate related what had happened amid gasps of surprise and delight from the group as she tucked into her lunch.

"So I told him I'd think about it," she finished. There was a stunned silence.

"You _what_?" Maddie shrieked. "Gabriel Montage – the Aztec god, might I remind you – asks you to the dance and you say _'I'll think about it'_? Girl, what kind of – of – of-"

"Ok, I get it," Kate laughed, elbowing her friend in the side. "Should I say yes, then?"

A raised eyebrow was all the answer she needed.

* * *

"Gabriel! Hey, Gabriel, wait up!" Beckett darted in and out of the other students as she chased after the retreating blonde. "Hey," she panted as she caught up with him. His eyes flitted over her, taking in the light sheen of sweat on her skin, and the rise and fall of her chest as she regained her breath.

"Hey, Kate," he beamed at her. "How are you?" She ignored his question.

"Is the offer still open?" His smile got wider.

"Yeah – it is. You made your decision?" She nodded, a slight blush travelling up her neck.

"I'd love to," she whispered shyly, peeking up through her eyelashes to gauge his reaction. To her surprise, she felt his lips touch her cheek in a chaste kiss.

"I'll see you on the 22nd," he said softly. As he left, it was all Kate could do to not let out a whoop of joy, instead raising her fingertips to the place he had kissed her, allowing a tiny smile to creep across her face.

* * *

**As I said up there ^^, Kate may be OOC.**

**If you like the sound of some wild child chapters, let me know (along with some suggestions, please!)**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, it is very much appreciated, and I'm glad you enjoyed it!**

**I am co-writing a fic with A . Pseudonimo on her account, called _Queen of Thieves_. It's basically Castle a la Robin Hood. Check it out!**

**Laters**

**~wolfergirl**


	11. Chapter 11

***shuffles into room* um, hey, everyone...**

**I'm terrible at this updating thing. I didn't even bring you the wild-child-Katie I promised. Nope, instead, it's a chapter based on something Kate mentioned in _Close Encounters of the Murderous Kind _(3x09)...if you can name the quote, you get a cyber-Jaffa-cake :)**

**For Vicky, who inspired this with our talk of Star Wars and Harry Potter Lego - blissful childhood... :D**

**I only own the DVDs, not anything you recognise.**

* * *

"Dad, look at me!" Katie Beckett ran into the living room to jump on her father's lap, giggling when he let out a whoosh of air in surprise.

"Katie – what are you – Katie!" Hanging from her nose (that was the spitting image of her mother's) were two green blocks of Lego.

"Look, Dad! I'm the bogey-man!" Her giggles intensified, becoming snorts of laughter as Jim stared at her in horror.

"Katie – no! Take them out, right now!" The six-year-old shook her head playfully, darting off the couch to spin around, falling over her feet as she got dizzier and dizzier. "Katherine!" He lunged at her and missed. He reached again, trying to stop her before something got really, really bad, but she was too fast, twirling out of control like a tornado as the contents of the living room went flying, and suddenly-

"Dad! Ow! Daddy!" The wail pierced his heart as he frantically moved aside the cushions and misplaced shoes, books, and boxes to grab his daughter and lift her up, checking for scrapes, bumps and bruises.

"What's wrong?" Jim asked, before it became apparent what the problem was. One green block had slid out, and was probably lying under the couch or something, but the other was clearly imprinted on the pale skin, completely and utterly inhaled. Blood dripped slowly from the torn tissue onto his hand, and he resisted the urge to drop the girl in his arms and balk. "Oh, Katie. Come on, let's get you cleaned up."

* * *

They were in the ER, Katie wriggling on the sterile white bed as they waited to be seen. Johanna had rushed back from work to find the pair of them constructing a nose out of Lego – not even asking why, until she spotted the reason they were signing forms for stitches to be put in Katie's delicate face.

"Katherine Beckett!" The shriek could be heard from miles around. "Why is there Lego up your nose?"

Father and daughter made eye contact and exchanged identical guilty looks. Oops.

* * *

**DON'T FORGET TO NAME THE QUOTE, PEOPLE!**

**Um, yeah, ending's quite similar to the one with the socks. Lack of imagination and remnants of a fever in my system are to blame for that, I'm afraid. Still, I'd like to know what you thought. All your reviews are really appreciated.**

**If you're looking for something else to read on a quiet Monday evening, check out:**

_**Four Letters**_**: another of my one-shot collections based on Caskett and their kids using prompts of four lettered words.**

_**A Beautiful Mind:**_** by APseudonimo. It's ridiculously good. Like, crazy twist at the end of each chapter, good. It's awesome, in fact.**

_**Queen of Thieves:**_** co-written fic by APseudonimo and myself, on her account. Castle a la Robin Hood.**

**Hasta la vista, readers!**

**~wolfergirl**


	12. Chapter 12

**All together now: *gasp***

**An update for the second week running? Almost unheard of!**

**Yes, my wonderful readers, reviewers, favouriters and followers: I present to you the latest instalment of _Beckett!_ It was originally written for _Four Letter_, but I thought you awesome people deserved another one of these as I have plenty more in store for that fic...**

**This happened. Real life. Really. Honestly. A friend of mine had her glue stick stolen by the boy she fancied...I changed it around a bit, but it was adorable :) *happy sigh***

**I don't own anything you recognise.**

* * *

"Class dismissed." As the teacher turned away to clean the board, Kate stood up to shove her books in her bag and her pens in her pencil case. Reaching blindly for her glue stick, the brunette resumed her conversation with Maddison Queller who was standing next to her.

"So Friday. You're still – hey!" Kate swatted the air where her glue stick had been moments before, now held in the grasp of a tall blonde boy. "Give that back!"

"No." The boy stuck his tongue out and waved the stick tauntingly in front of her nose. "You have to ask nicely, Beckett."

"Fuck off, Nicholls," she spat. "I want to go to lunch. Give it here!" 'Nicholls' skirted around her lunge, holding his arm above her head – at six foot he towered over her. Compared to her friends, Kate Beckett was much taller, and had never had to resort to the suicidal solution of high heels. However, the boys in their year were giants, and it was rare that one was under five foot six.

She jumped. And reached. And elbowed. Nothing she did had any effect on the boy holding her glue stick hostage. With a flourish, Nicholls uncapped the stick and pressed it against the ceiling, waiting until it was able to hang there by itself. Kate clenched her jaw.

"Get it down," she demanded, poking his chest forcefully. "Get. It. Down. Now."

"Beckett, Nicholls, Queller. Get going please," Mr Smith interrupted from the front of the room. Kate turned to indignantly face her teacher.

"Sir, he's got my glue stick!" She gestured angrily to the ceiling.

"So, get a ladder," the teacher replied, attention clearly elsewhere. Kate gaped. "Or get out of my classroom."

As the three trooped out, Kate found herself looking back mournfully at her glue stick, stuck hopelessly against gravity. "I'll be back," she promised silently.

* * *

"Mom? We're going shoe shopping." Kate stormed into the house and dumped her school bag in the hall, running up to her room to grab her purse. When she got downstairs again she found Johanna leaning against the door frame, watching her in amusement.

"Shoe shopping? What brought this on, Katie?" Kate rolled her eyes at her mother, wrapping her hand around Maddie's arm and pulling her in the direction of the bus stop.

"Bye, Mom."

"Bye, honey."

"Boy," Maddie mouthed at Mrs Beckett with a smile. By now she was used to Kate's spontaneity – although her friend had never had the urge to go out and buy a pair of six-inch stilettos.

"Have fun, girls," was Johanna's parting call, before she disappeared inside the house, shaking her head fondly.

* * *

"Kate, what happened to 'death traps that only lunatics would wear'?" Maddie teased as her friend discarded yet another pair of high-heeled boots. "I thought you wanted to be able to walk?"

"Very funny," the brunette deadpanned, running her gaze along the rack in front of her. "Ooh, look at these ones!"

"Last year you were saying that shoes were meant for comfort, not for appearance!"

"Maddie, get it right," Kate retorted, grinning widely. "It's 'comfort _before_ appearance' – they're allowed to look nice, you know." Maddie didn't reply, instead fishing out another pair and tossing them to her companion.

"Try these."

They eventually left the mall, each clutching a bag of shoes in each hand, the pair chattering animatedly as they wandered back to the Beckett household.

* * *

"So, Katie," Johanna smirked. "All this for a boy?"

"What?" Kate spluttered, turning beet red and glaring at her (supposed) best friend who tactfully avoided making eye contact. "No! I need the height to get my glue stick!"

"Sure," Maddie taunted with a nudge. "I think it's because he likes you."

"Yes," her mother nodded in wise agreement. "In my day, it was the boy who pulled your pigtails who had the greatest crush on you."

"We're not in _your day_, Mom! He does not _like_ me!" Kate's tone suggested that the topic was closed, but the other two women knew that the conversation was far from over.

* * *

The next day, Kate Beckett was followed by the astounded eyes of the entire male population at her new-found height – and, it seemed, confidence. When she got back to the science lab, the first thing she did was reach up and pluck the still hanging stalactite of a glue stick from the ceiling. Nicholls gazed at her in awe as her slender body stretched and her midriff was exposed by her shirt rising up, but was met with an icy, dismissive glare from Kate and an appraising glance from Maddie as the two girls sat.

The only sign that Maddie was nowhere near as annoyed as Kate was the whisper from blonde to brunette as Smith waited for silence.

"I still think it's a new method of flirting."

* * *

**Actually, it was our teacher who coined that phrase just there ^^ apparently his ships usually sailed (yes, my biology teacher knows the lingo :D)**

**Reviews are unicorns, readers!**

**TTFN**

**~wolfergirl**


	13. Chapter 13

**Thanks to my ONE reviewer, APseudonimo - come on readers, it's not that hard to type out a little comment! If you didn't like the chapter, just say so!**

**Anyway, this is another little Katie chapter as I'm still working on the wild-child ideas... ****It's based on a comment Jim makes in Knockout about Kate not wanting a night-light.**

**I don't own anything you recognise.**

* * *

"Come on, Katie-bear, into bed," Jim commanded with a playful grin, reaching towards his daughter's midriff to tickle her lightly.

"Daddy!" she squealed in a high pitched giggle. "Stop!" With an exaggerated grunt, he swung her up and over his shoulder, carrying her upside down towards her bed with her feet kicking frantically by his head.

"The Dragon has got the Princess," he announced in a low growl which elicited another giggle from the five-year-old as she was deposited in a heap on her duvet.

"The Princess is free!" she exclaimed happily.

"The Princess is going to bed!" Jim mimicked her voice and attempted to coax her under the covers.

"But I'm not tired," Katie whined. She slapped her hands on top of her father's as he tried to pull them up to her chin.

"But Daddy is, and we don't want Daddy to be tired, do we?"

"So it's your bedtime, Daddy. Go and brush your teeth and find your teddy." The little girl slithered off her bed and pointed sternly in the direction of the door. Jim tried not to chuckle. Her expression was the mirror-image of her mother's when he was being told to do something or another.

"But Daddy can't go to bed until Katie goes to bed," he explained. "All the Daddies have to look after their Princesses. So you have to get Ted-Bear to bed before I get Mommy."

"But I'm not tired!" Katie yawned, flopping back to the edge of the bed and clutching a beaming bear to her chest.

"But Ted-Bear is." At that, Katie's head shot up to peer with concern into her toy's beady eyes.

"Ted-Bear, are you sleepy?" she whispered. The bear appeared to answer her, as he was held up to clumsily peck Jim's cheek before a similar, wet, sloppy one was delivered by his daughter. Katie nuzzled sleepily into his shoulder and mumbled an explanation. "Ted says he's sleepy, Daddy. I'm gonna put him to bed. Night night."

And then she was curled up in a tight ball, a mass of curls spread over her pillow, little body slowly rising and falling as her breathing slowed to a peaceful pattern of sleep. Leaning over to brush a kiss over her brow, Jim took in the sight that he would never grow tired of. He smiled.

"Night night, Katie-bear." Just as he was about to close the door, he heard a whisper from her direction.

"Daddy? Will you check my monsters?" He padded quietly over to the low bed and knelt, pausing to thoroughly check that Elmo (she had been an easily terrified toddler) and friends weren't lurking maliciously under it.

"No monsters."

"Check again."

And so he did, as always. The second search yielded no more monsters than the first - but Jim was sure he would do anything, no matter how ridiculous, to put his little girl's mind to rest.

"Still no monsters."

"Ok. Night night."

"Good night, princess."

* * *

"Daddy. Daddy." The tugging at his hand quickly woke him up, and he rolled over, rubbing his eyes groggily to see two brown eyes staring at him from just over the mattress.

"Katie? What's the matter, sweetheart?"

"Daddy," she whispered. "You missed a monster."

"What?"

"There's a scary monster and it's scary and I don't like it and you said you'd get rid of them and it stopped me sleeping and I _told_ you I wasn't tired and Daddy please make the monster go away." It all came out in a tired breath as she drowsily tugged him back the way she'd come.

Tucking her in, he knelt by her head and stroked her hair gently.

"Where's this monster, Katie?" he murmured. She leaned closer to whisper in his ear.

"It's dark, Daddy." Ah. So that was it. Since Katie had moved to her big girl's bed she had had trouble sleeping through the night to a relentless fear of the dark. More than once he and Johanna had offered to find her a night light to sit either in her room or in the corridor outside where its comforting beam of light would reassure her.

Unfortunately, their daughter had inherited their stubbornness and refused to have one, claiming she could be brave. On the occasions she did get to sleep, if and when she woke up the eerie darkness proved to be a night terror for the little girl, and often it took another hour to get her snoring gently again.

"It's dark at night, Katie. You know that."

"But I don't _like_ it, Daddy."

"Would you like Daddy to get you a light?"

"No. I'm a big girl." Worth a try, Jim thought fondly, settling back against the radiator along the wall and resuming his caresses as she finally succumbed to sleep.

* * *

**So. Good? Bad? Please, please let me know! Also, if you have anything you want to appear, please tell me!**

**See you next week**

**~wolfergirl**


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